Leading lawyer demands action over doping problem in India

More action should be taken to stop widespread doping in Indian athletics, insists a leading Indian sports lawyer.

(52) on the International Association of Athletics Federations's banned list.

Russia has 33 athletes on the list, while there are 10 from the United States and four from Great Britain.

"There should be a national debate - but it's not happening," sports lawyer Lovely Dasgupta told the BBC.

"We're not Canada, where Ben Johnson is caught and you have that commission set up and from where the whole debate about Wada (World Anti-Doping Agency) started.

ANALYSIS

"It's going largely un-noticed here … the question many are asking is: if we have this level of doping when India isn't a powerhouse, when the infrastructure does develop as India pushes on to get an Olympics one day - can they do that unless they really get to grips with the problem?

"Look at last year's National Schools Championship, 11 athletes were caught doping there. This is something going down to the grassroots."